Dylan Different

Dylan Different is a smooth jazz album by keyboardist and jazz vocalist Ben Sidran, released in 2009. It is Sidran's thirty-sixth album, and his fourth release with his independent label Nardis Records.

Background


A tribute to Bob Dylan, the album consists of covers of his songs, reinterpreted as jazz. Sidran maintained the original lyrics, but introduced revised tempos, instruments and a large backing band.

The album was recorded 1–4 June 2009. Eschewing a traditional recording studio, Sidran elected to record the album in an Alsatian farm house in the east of France, explaining that he wanted to introduce the same haunted, mysterious quality that he felt from Dylan's music. Several of the musicians were also European, including Rodolphe Burger, a French singer and musician; Marcello Giuliani, an Italian bassist; and Alberto Malo, a Spanish drummer.

Musicians

 * Ben Sidran – vocals, piano, Wulitizer, Hammond B3, Fender Rhodes
 * Rodolphe Burger – guitar, vocal on "Blowin' in the Wind"
 * Jorge Drexler – vocals on "Knockin' on Heaven's Door"
 * Georgie Fame – vocals and organ on "Rainy Day Woman #12 & 35"
 * Marcello Giuliani – acoustic bass, electric bass
 * Amy Helm – background vocals
 * Michael Leonhart – trumpet, flugelhorn
 * Bob Malach – tenor saxophone, flute, bass clarinet
 * Alberto Malo – drums, percussion
 * Leo Sidran – horn arrangements, additional guitar, Hammond B3, piano, koto
 * Leonor Watling & Luca – background vocals on "Knockin' on Heaven's Door"

Reception
Writing for AllMusic, Thom Jurek praised Sidran's interpretation and style, "his requisite musicality, unaffected jazzman's cool, and streetwise yet elegant poetic imagination." He also praised the source material, commenting on Dylan's ability to write "folk songs that transcend their eras of origin in relevancy."